Exciting racing

[Jim Green]

We focus on the negatives on these forums but I'd like to say how exciting I found the jumps/jumping races yesterday.

A true Champion in The Cossack lumping 73kgs to a hard fought/impressive win was something that should be celebrated. He is like a Melody Belle of jumping.

The Races provided real entertainment. I am a flat racing tragic,bu must admit after watching the jumps I found the flat races.......a little flat.

Well done to all participants Riders,trainers,strappers,the people who put up the jumps on the course proper (very interesting to see them taking them down so quickly,trackside could maybe have a segment where they give us an in depth look at the construction of the jumps and maybe a track walk with a jockey explaining what they are seeing out there. Following another horse into a jump must be scary/exciting/thrilling??? amazing.These jockeys don't get the publicity of our heros Opie,McNab,Kennedy etc but must be either mad or great horsemen/women.

Portia Matthews leading the premiership surely could be used to try and attract more girls to the sport e.g Jamie Kah in Aus

Why are people saying this part of the industry is going to be gone in a few years?

I found it the most entertaining part of the day. Would love to see more of it. The Trackside pictures after the races when they were cutting to the commercials of the different angle of the jumps were also brilliant so well done trackside. 

All I want now is more background on some of the horses/trainers/jockeys so as a punter I can build a connection and follow them through the winter.

Alot of mystery and names that aren't regulars in the form guide.

All we want as punters is more information. Jumping trials also don't have videos so we are unable to view them? Doesn't help.

Great racing and well done to all involved in the jumping. Cant wait to watch the next meeting,when and where ever the may be.

[Freda]

Agree, the jumping was fantastic and it is so sad that it has disappeared from the south altogether.

As well, it gives those horses who may lack the necessary speed/class on the flat to have a viable career there, but with abundant courage, agility and stamina, can go on to be stars in a slightly different milieu.

[curious]

2 hours ago, Freda said:

Agree, the jumping was fantastic and it is so sad that it has disappeared from the south altogether.

Yes, though I note the bright sparks that do the programming here, have a couple of R65 and Jumpers 2200s programmed in Canterbury in the next month, including one next week on the poly. Where they expect a jumper to emerge from when there are no races for them down here is hard to figure, let alone one quick enough to race creditably on the AWT.

Edited June 16 by curious

[Murray Fish]

Asking for a friend! Why did the rider of the champ have to hit him like that? 

[curious]

8 hours ago, Murray Fish said:

Asking for a friend! Why did the rider of the champ have to hit him like that? 

Encouragement?

[curious]

H McNeill (THE COSSACK) - Spoken to regarding his whip use over the concluding stages.

[Spatchcock]

The reason jumps racing is dying - and has gone in the south - is the lack of riders.

Saturday they only had 9 jockeys available. there's four or five inured at present. Fannin is only riding his own (and West Coast), Shaun Phelan has retired and Emily Farr is overseas.

They need another 10 jocks. Definitely no shortage of hurdlers in the North Island.

[Mardy]

A crying shame that jumps racing is going the way it is. It doesn't see that long ago that most tracks would be holding jumps races over the winter,but now it's on a select few that hold the jumps races. The  big white Elephant in the room is what the so called 'powers that be' did to Ellerslie,more importantly the hill..yes yes they'll say that you can have jumps racing on the new track,im not the educated on the new track,so have no idea why. And in the South,i'm a Cantab thru and thru,and it's a shame what's happened to the National Carnival,it barely got off the ground last year and i imagine it will be the same struggle this year.It has beautiful fences that should get used way more than once a year. Things won't go back to how it was,but boy if only it could.

[Huey]

On 17/06/2024 at 4:05 PM, Spatchcock said:

The reason jumps racing is dying - and has gone in the south - is the lack of riders.

Saturday they only had 9 jockeys available. there's four or five inured at present. Fannin is only riding his own (and West Coast), Shaun Phelan has retired and Emily Farr is overseas.

They need another 10 jocks. Definitely no shortage of hurdlers in the North Island.

Let's not kid ourselves Flat Rider situation is heading the same way. Faster than many realize, especially once many of the old guard hang up their boots .

[TAB For Ever]

4 hours ago, Huey said:

Let's not kid ourselves Flat Rider situation is heading the same way. Faster than many realize, especially once many of the old guard hang up their boots .

Many Industries in New Zealand now reliant on 'imported labour' and jumps riders don't get the opportunities to earn well.

But Flat riders have very good earning power these days . 

I was at Bus Stop yesterday outside a huge construction sitre at 4.30pm ,knock off time.Hundreds of workers poured out ,95% immigrants.

Jumped on Bus , again many/most of these are driven by immigrants.

Went to supermarket ,ditto the workers.

Recently in hospital....everyone from reception,Xray , Nurse , Anaethesist , Food , cleaner ,orderly ...all immigrants only Surgeion a Kiwi , a magician at that !

Kiwi kids want to have fun ,travel ...not work a badly paid job caring for animals and hosing horse shit !

[Bid]

There are plenty of horses about but yep the rider shortage is the issue. Another lad rode at the trials on Monday and is riding on Sunday so that is one more.  The biggest problem is the lack of opportunities for the over seas riders, it's not worth them traveling half way across the world for 4 rides a fortnight.  We need to put on at least  two highweights every week through early Autumn and winter to make it worth their while. I think most trainers wouldn't be too worried for their Maiden 2000 horses to have to run I highweights and then probably the 65s as well. 

[Chief Stipe]

On 17/06/2024 at 8:14 PM, Mardy said:

,i'm a Cantab thru and thru,and it's a shame what's happened to the National Carnival,it barely got off the ground last year and i imagine it will be the same struggle this year.It has beautiful fences that should get used way more than once a year.

It was apparent about 3 years ago when we had a discussion on BOAY about the lack of maintenance on the Steeple track at Riccarton.  I got some private messages from a jumps jockey saying the track was like a skating rink.  The grass had burnt off during a drought and had not been irrrigated or much work done on it.  I recall @Pitman writing that it was "normal" and the brown top grass would "revive" when it rained.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, TAB For Ever said:

I was at Bus Stop yesterday outside a huge construction sitre at 4.30pm ,knock off time.Hundreds of workers poured out ,95% immigrants.

Jumped on Bus , again many/most of these are driven by immigrants.

How do you know they are immigrants?  By the colour of their skin?

Reminds me of a story a Scottish friend of mine told me.  I struggled to understand him most of the time because of his strong accent.  He went back to Glasgow for a catch up with family and went to get a curry.  The Indian running the show was as Indian looking as could be.  My Scottish mate could barely understand him because of how strong his Scottish accent was.  He was about a 4th generation Scottish born "immigrant".  

[TAB For Ever]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

How do you know they are immigrants?  By the colour of their skin?

Reminds me of a story a Scottish friend of mine told me.  I struggled to understand him most of the time because of his strong accent.  He went back to Glasgow for a catch up with family and went to get a curry.  The Indian running the show was as Indian looking as could be.  My Scottish mate could barely understand him because of how strong his Scottish accent was.  He was about a 4th generation Scottish born "immigrant".  

A lot of them are in my community and we mix and play Badminton ,table tennis etc  and do stuff together.

I am on a committee where I am the only NZ born on it .

I post on my experiences...reality🙂.....get with the program !

[Chief Stipe]

28 minutes ago, TAB For Ever said:

A lot of them are in my community and we mix and play Badminton ,table tennis etc  and do stuff together.

I am on a committee where I am the only NZ born on it .

I post on my experiences...reality🙂.....get with the program !

I detected a hint of bigotry and prejudice.  You would have no idea if the bus driver was a recent immigrant (unlikely), had been in the country 10 years or was a second or third generation Kiwi.  Not to mention why you feel important to draw the distinction at all.

However on the topic of emigration or immigration most people do it to improve their personal situation.  

[TAB For Ever]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

I detected a hint of bigotry and prejudice.  You would have no idea if the bus driver was a recent immigrant (unlikely), had been in the country 10 years or was a second or third generation Kiwi.  Not to mention why you feel important to draw the distinction at all.

However on the topic of emigration or immigration most people do it to improve their personal situation.  

Just pointing out the crucial importance that immigrants are performing in our workforce and the likelihood that will be continually needed in our race riding ranks.

No bigotry or prejudice re bus drivers ,I know several . I live and hangout in a very diverse multi-cultural community.

[Murray Fish]

8 minutes ago, TAB For Ever said:

Just pointing out the crucial importance that immigrants are performing in our workforce and the likelihood that will be continually needed in our race riding ranks.

Stable hands are just as important too...  by chance, I was one of the first to start linking up enquires (gee, 12 years ago? I was getting via my MF facebook acc, first to  a few trainers and then to Trainers Assoc.   In that recent report published? Did it happen to post figures tracking that sort of data?

[Chief Stipe]

28 minutes ago, TAB For Ever said:

I live and hangout in a very diverse multi-cultural community

Don't we all?

[TAB For Ever]

3 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Don't we all?

Some moreso than others....

I daresay the West Coast of South is 90 % European ....there are suburbs of NZ that are 90% non-European.

Get amongst it Chief !

[Chief Stipe]

27 minutes ago, TAB For Ever said:

Some moreso than others....

I daresay the West Coast of South is 90 % European ....there are suburbs of NZ that are 90% non-European.

Get amongst it Chief !

 

27 minutes ago, TAB For Ever said:

there are suburbs of NZ that are 90% non-European.

What does that statement mean?  I must say you are doing a very good job of provimg you are a plonker.

Did you get a bus to the Karaka Millions night?

[TAB For Ever]

5 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

 

What does that statement mean?  I must say you are doing a very good job of provimg you are a plonker.

Did you get a bus to the Karaka Millions night?

Your statement of suggesting we all live/hangout in a diverse multi-cultural community is simply not true !

Found out ,you revert to abuse !

Poor form !

[Chief Stipe]

9 hours ago, TAB For Ever said:

Your statement of suggesting we all live/hangout in a diverse multi-cultural community is simply not true !

Found out ,you revert to abuse !

Poor form !

Found out?  You're the one promoting stereotypes.  "All bus drivers of colour are immigrants"!

"The West Coast, South Island isn't multicutural"!  Really?  My parents GP was Sri Lankan - his children were first generation NZ.  By the way the local dairy owner was a 5th generation West Coaster!  Not from India.

My next door neighbour was Croatian and his son was my Geography teacher at High School.  I could give you numerous examples of growing up with people of different cultures.

One of my atheletic coaches was Chinese the other Scottish.  Actually the Chinese one was an International Rugby referee.

I was educated by Irish Nuns.

Of course you could look at the facts.  For sure the West Coast may not be as mulitcultural as South Auckland but it is not as mono-cultural as St Heliers.